Taste: 6/7 – Not bad. All three versions are almost identical in taste with the regular and the gold being a little bit sweeter than the sugar free. However, the sugar free is probably the sweetest sugar free energy drink I have ever had. So, if you are a South Beach Diet freak or just and anal retentive carb. counter you can’t go wrong with the sugar free. The taste is distinctly white grape/berry (white grapes and raspberry come to mind) and it is slightly carbonated.

After Taste: 5 – The aftertaste is a bit syrupy with all of them but it is not too bad.

Effects Rating Scale is 1 (water) through 10 (check in to rehab NOW!)

Energy Boost: 5/7 – The caffeine content is similar in the regular and sugar free and the boost is the same; a wee bit twitchy, some more focus, a little lively, not too bad. The Gold is a different animal all together. The caffeine content is higher and the ingredients differ from the other two in that the ginseng and guarana are listed as “seed extract”. Assuming that “seed extract” is more concentrated than the alternative, this would explain the slightly bigger boost with the gold; when pausing in an activity my eyes kept moving back in forth and I couldn’t stop tapping my feet and fidgeting when I was sitting down.

The sugar free version of this is my favorite energy drink. I usually drink two or three of these a day, sometimes more. The regular and gold versions, however, I find to be disgusting, bitter, offensive drinks.

Now lovely Lucifer, in hell so stark
King, and lord of sin and pride
With some mist his wits make dark.
He send thee grace to be thy guide

Disgusting but true side effect: I purchased and drank a Sobe No Fear Gold energy drink today. Not only was the flavor nasty compared to my preferred Monster Low Carb, but 45 minutes later, I had the shits like never before and instead of smelling like poop, it smelled like Sobe No Fear Gold energy drink. I almost went to sick call because of this.

STAY AWAY.

"No. Listen to me because I know what I'm talking about here." -- Hannibal

When I was living in MA I would substitute the No Fear - Sugar Free when they ran out of the Sobe Adrenaline Rush - Sugar Free at the corner store. They don't seem to carry out it out here in Southern NV though (ironic considering the number of gyms out here).